Legal Definitions - cognizable

Definition: Cognizable means something that can be known, recognized, or identified. It can also refer to something that can be examined or tried in a court of law.

Examples:

1. A plaintiff must allege a judicially cognizable injury to establish standing in court.
2. American Indians are a cognizable group for jury-selection purposes because of their common characteristic or interest that cannot be represented by others.
3. The tort claims are not cognizable under the consumer-protection statute, meaning they cannot be tried in court under that law.

The first example illustrates how cognizable can refer to something that can be recognized or known in a legal context. In this case, a plaintiff must show that they have suffered an injury that can be recognized by the court in order to have standing to bring a lawsuit.

The second example shows how cognizable can refer to a group that can be identified based on a common characteristic or interest. In this case, American Indians are a cognizable group for jury-selection purposes because they have unique experiences and perspectives that cannot be represented by others.

The third example illustrates how cognizable can refer to something that can be tried in court. In this case, the tort claims cannot be tried under the consumer-protection statute, meaning they must be tried under a different law or in a different court.